Car-coupling



(No Model.)

J. G. HORNBRGVER,i

GAR GOUPLING..

*ff FFIC.

...Arr-:NT

JOHN e. HORNBARGER, or nMroRrA, Kansas.'

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 386,012, dated July 10, 3,888. Application filed February Q1, 1887. Renewed March 2l, 188B. Serial No. Mi-153. (No model.)

To LZZ whom i may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN G. HORNBARGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Emporia, in the county of Lyon and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CarCouplers, of which the following is a specitlcation, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in car-couplers, the peculiarities and novel arrangement of which will be hereinafter more fully set forth in the specicatiomand pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and on which similar letters of reference indicate the same or corresponding features, Figure l represents a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken through my improved coupler. Fig. 2 is a View looking at the face or mouth of the coupler, and Fig. 3 is a view showing the manner of working the coupler from the top of the car.

The letterAdesignates the draw bar, mounted, as usual, upon the under surface of the car, and provided with a couplerwhich consists of a body, B, and sides C. The forward lower portion of the body extends upwardly and at right angles to the bottom, as seen at and then flares outwardly and divergently to form the mouth or face of the coupler. The lower side of the head of the pin falls over and is held by this rectangular portion or bend, which thus forms a jaw. The other jaw is composed of a metallic bar, E', of iron or steel, mounted on a shaft extending through the sides of the coupler, and provided at its eX- treme forward end with a depending lng, G, and somewhat rearwardly with another depending lug, H, the recess I between which lugs forms the other jaw to hold the couplingpin. This lever or bar E is kept normally depressed by means of a spring, J, secured to the rear end of thecoupler by a stud or bolt,K.

The lower end of the head of the couplingpin does not rest upon the coupler itself', but rests within the grooved or concaved surface ofthe ejecting-lever L. This lever is flat, or nearly so, on its upper surface,while its lower surface slopes upwardly on both sides from the pin or shaft M, on which it is mounted, and at its forward end is concaved, as seen at N.

l The letter O designates the actuating-lever, consist-ing ofa longer and a shorter arm, the former eatending toward the face of the coupler and the latter rearwardly. -This lever is mounted upon a shaft which extends through the sides of the coupler,and is provided on one end with a hand or turning wheel,Q,by means of which the lever is-actuated.

The operation of the coupler is as follows: When two cars are pushed against each other, the couplingpin abuts against the end G of the depressi ng-lever, and by reason of the inclined surfaces of each overcomes the holding-down tendency of the spring J and forces an entrance. Now,when it is desired to nncouple cars, the wheel Q is turned in the direction of the arrow. Thelonger arm of thelever rO strikes the under surface of the depressing-lever E', overcomes the resistance of the spring J, and lifts the forward end of the lever E' considerably above the head of the pin almost instantly therewith. The shorter arm of the lever O strikes the upper surface ofthe ejecting-lever L and pushes the head of the pin above the point E, so that it falls upon the outer face, It, of the coupler and the cars become detached.

that I provide apertures for the reception of the ordinary link-pins, as also mouths for the reception of the ordinary links. I do this in order to overcome any difficulty which might arise by reason of a car provided-with one of my couplers meeting a car not so provided.

As represented in Fig. 3, I provide the end of the car wit-h plates S, having apertures through which the rod T passes, the upper end of the rod being provided with a hand-wheel, U, and its lower end being slightly cnrvedoutwardly, as at V, the end of said curved portion having a chain connected therewith and -with the spoke of the wheel Q. W'ith this arrangement the coupler can be operated from the top of the ear by simply catching hold of the hand-wheel U and raising it.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a car-coupler, the combination, with the body thereof having a flaring mouth and formed with a recess for the head of the pin to As represented in Fig. 2, itwill be observed IOO rest in, of a distinct depressing-lever mounted in the body ot the coupler and having a recess which incloses the upper portion ot' the head of the pin, and means to free the pin when it is desired to nncouple the cars.

2. In a car-coupler, the combination, with the body thereot' having' a flaring;` month, an ejeetinglever for the head of the pin to rest in, pivoted in the bottom of thebody otthe eonpler7 and a distinct dcprcssingiever which in closes the upper portion of the head of the pin, pivoted in the upper portion of the body of the coupler, ot' an actuating-lever adapted to simultaneously operate the depressingflever and the ejectinglever and t'ree the pin.

3. 1n a car-coupler, the combination7 with the body thereol and the pivoted depressing and ejeeting` levers which hold the pin, ot a distinct actuating-lever mounted upon a sha it intermediate the depressing` and ejecting leA vers,provided with a longer and a shorter arm, the longer arm of which engages the depresslinglever, and the shorter arm ot' which engages the ejecting-lever, whereby when the shaft is turned the pin is ejected trom its resting-place and the ears uneouplet'l.

et. In a car coupler7 the combination, with the body thereof and a distinct depressingdever pivotally mounted therein and normally held down by a spring, so as to engage the head ofthe piinof an actuating'lever mounted on a shaft situated immediately below the dcprcssinglever, and a hand-wheel on one end ot" said shaft, whereby when the wheel is turned the actuating-lever is thrown against the depressinglevcr and the latter uplilted and the pin released.

In a ear-eoupler, the combination, with the body thereof and the pivot-ally-mounted depressi ng and ejecting levers which hold the pin, of a` distinct actuating-lever mounted upon a shalt immediately below the depressv ing and eiectinglevers, provided with alonger and a shorter arm, the longer a'rni of which engages the depressinglevcr, and the shorter arm of which engages the (,jecting-lever, and a hand-uf'heel mounted on Lheshat't of thcaetu` ating-lever,whereby when the wheel is turned the actuating-lever is thrown against the depressinglever and the latter uplit'ted and the pin released.

In testimony whereof' l allix my signature in presence et' two witnesses.

JO ll'N i. iii ORN l A llt] EIL.

"itiitnesses:

' Vl'. E. Litlunnn'r, J. B. ll-irnltmi. 

